The Stripper's Guide blog discusses the history of the American newspaper comic strip.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Art Krenz

Arthur Robert “Art” Krenz was born in Middletown, Connecticut, around 1905. Most of the U.S. Federal Censuses recorded his estimated birth year as 1905. Krenz’s birthplace was on his marriage record and his middle name appeared in some copyright catalogs.

The 1910 census listed Krenz as the youngest of five Connecticut-born children whose parents were Louis and Annie, both “Russ-German” emigrants. Krenz’s father was a weaver at a narrow webbing factory. The family resided in South Farms Village, Middletown, Connecticut at 9 Douglas Avenue.

According to the 1920 census, the family lived in Cleveland, Ohio at 3274 73 Street. Krenz’s father was the proprietor of a grocery store. Information regarding Krenz’s childhood education and art training has not been found.

At some point Krenz moved to Miami, Florida where he was a staff cartoonist for the Miami Herald in the mid-1920s.

Miami Herald 8/23/1925

Miami Herald 1/30/1927

A 1927 Miami city directory listed Krenz’s home address as 1026 SW 4th Street and occupation as artist for the Miami Herald.

Krenz was a golf enthusiast who produced a number golf-related items for NEA.

Greensboro Daily Record 8/14/1929

Riverside Daily Press 4/20/1936

The 1930 census said newspaper artist Krenz lived his parent in Cleveland where he worked as an NEA sports cartoonist and writer.

The Owosso Argus-Press (Michigan), May 2, 1934, published this item: “Art Krenz, NEA Service sports cartoonist and golf writer has been granted a student pilot’s license to cut capers in an airplane, please omit flowers.”

According to American Newspaper Comics (2012), Krenz also produced, for the NEA, the following: Book of Knowledge (took over from P.V. Bessey), In This Corner aka Do You Know?, 100 Years of Baseball, Tale of the Turf and Baseball’s Big New Names.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, marriage record had the August 3, 1934 marriage of Krenz to Hazel Shadoin.

In 1940 the couple owned their home at 4191 West 63rd Street in Cleveland. The census said they lived there in 1935, and Krenz had two years of college.Krenz’s Knickname Kwiz was syndicated by AP Features and ran in the Bellingham Herald (Washington) beginning August 9, 1940.

Krenz’s departure from NEA was noted in the sports section of the Greensboro Daily News (North Carolina), January 9, 1941: “Art Krenz, the talented cartoonist, has left NEA Service after 14 years….Krenz made many friends here last spring when he covered the Greater Greensboro Open and also with his cartoons which have appeared in this newspaper from time to time.”

Krenz passed away in May 1961, in Orange, Florida, according to the Florida Death Index at Ancestry.com. The Hartford Courant, July 10 and 11, 2015, published an obituary for Krenz’s son, Arthur Ludwig.

My name is Allan Holtz. I am a comic strip historian, and author of "American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide." This blog is my outlet for all manner of interesting, oddball and rare material related to comic strip history. It is also a forum where others interested in comic strip history are encouraged to participate through the comments, or even by contributing articles.
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